Thank you very much for visiting Hobby Search, amongst the many online shops. We have confidence in the assortments and variety compared with other stores, so we are sure you will find something just for you! Please enjoy shopping from the selection of categories available.

To provide limited products to as many customers as we can, we set a quantity limitation for some of our listed products.

Please note that you will not be able to add to cart more than the quantity restriction for each product.
Also please be aware that for any orders that appears to be placed from the same household, same address, same name, or that seems to be placed by the same customer in any other way, we will consider any order from them that exceeds the quantity limit to be invalid and may cancel their orders without advance notice. So please be careful.

About Backorder Products

For items that are labeled "Back-order", we will need to obtain the product from the supplier or manufacturer, so we will need time to stock the product.

We specify the rough estimate for days usually required to stock the product, on the product's description page. However, the period required to actually obtain the product may vary depending on the product and when you placed the order etc.
Also, please note that there is small possibility of stock shortage by the supplier or manufacturer. We appreciate your understanding of this matter in advance.

Placing additional orders / forgetting to order an item

For Already-Released Items:

Please place a new order for the additional product.
We will also need the following message include in the "contact column" when placing the new order:

"Combine with Order # XX-XXXX-XXXX (The previous order)"

However, please note that depending on the status of the previously placed order, we may not be able to add or combine your orders (e.g. Items that are already paid or preparing for shipment cannot be combined etc.).
*You will not be able to process Order Recombination from your Account Page for already released items with another already released item.
*You cannot add or combine reserved items to an order for already-released items.
*If you select any of the Small Packet shipment (SAL Small Packet / Registered SAL / ePacket Light) and the combined order exceeds the limitations of the Small Packet shipment, we will need to use EMS to ship your order.

For Reservations:

Please place an additional order for the item to be added, and process "Order Recombination" after you place your order.
*Please read this article for the detail of "Order Recombination".
*Items with different release month cannot be combined.
*You cannot add or combine already-released items to an order for reserved items.

Changing product Quantity

Order Duplication and Reducing QuantityWe can only accept any reduction of quantity that are processed within the cancellation period, or if you contacted us within the cancellation period. For details of this process, please check here.Note: You can check the details of your order from the Order Confirmation email or from your Account Page. So please make sure to always check and confirm your orders after placing them.

When there is temporary concentration of access to our website, such as during opening of reservation for a popular product etc., there is a possibility that mail reception may not function correctly, and you may not be able to receive the order confirmation mail in such case.

If you do not receive the Order Confirmation email, please login to your Account Page and confirm your order status.

Any orders listed on your account page are orders that we have successfully received, so please do not worry if you had confirmed your order there. If you would like us to re-send the order confirmation email, please contact our customer support with your Hobby Search ID and order number (which will be available from your account page).

Email from Hobby Search does not arrive in general

If you are using email address for a Computer:
*There is possibility that our email may have been classified as a SPAM mail. Please check your SPAM / junk mail folder.
*There may be a mistake with your registered Email address. Please login to your account page and double check your registered Email address is spelled correctly. If necessary, please read "Updating User Registry Info. (Shipping Address and contact detail etc.)" for how to update your Email address.

If you are using an email address of mobile devices (including smart phones or mobile phones etc.)
*Please check your email settings. If your device is set to block emails from a computer or html rich content etc., our emails may not reach you.
*If you have any domains specified in the email filter settings, please check if our domain (@1999.co.jp) had been filtered.
*There may be a mistake with your registered Email address. Please login to your account page and double check your registered Email address is spelled correctly. If necessary, please read "Updating User Registry Info. (Shipping Address and contact detail etc.)" for how to update your Email address.

About items selling out while an order is being placed

The order process will be completed when you click the "Send" button on the Order Confirmation Page of the Order Form (as long as there are no payment errors etc.).
Please be aware that for orders of popular items, there is possibility of product becoming sold out before you complete the order process.
If your order is successful, your order will be listed on your account page. However, if you do not see your order on your account page, the order had not been correctly processed so please place your order again.

Ordering via Phone, FAX, or Email

Unfortunately we do not accept orders by phone, FAX, or Email.
All the order must be placed thorough the order form on our website.

Ordering from Smart Phones

Please be aware that depending on the version of OS or the model of the smart phone, there is possibility that you may not be able to place an order.

About Stock Shortage

There is a rare chance of stock shortage, where we are unable to obtain a part of your ordered items. In such case, please note that we will process your order according to your selected option for the "Shipping Arrangement" when you placed the order.

The Shipping Arrangements are as follows:

- For shipment with "Just ship available items. (Shipping faster)"
We will ship only the items we managed to secure.The short stocked items will be treated as a "Cancellation by Hobby Search", but we will not be accepting any cancellations for other items in the order.
We will enclose a "Stockout Notification" in the package in case of stock shortage, so please confirm this.
Note: We may contact you anyway at our decision, if we notice that the short stocked item was ordered to be used as a set (for example: we might contact you if you ordered a model kit and compatible stickers etc. but the model kit itself were short stocked).
If you would like to be notified of stock shortages, please select "Notify of Stockout by e-mail (Shipping slower)" option when placing your order.

- For shipment with "Notify of stockout by e-mail (Shipping slower)"
We will contact you regarding stock shortage before payment.
If we contact you, you will be given the option to either "ship only the available items" or "cancel the whole order".
If you choose "ship only the available item", we will enclose a "Stockout Notification" with the items shipped.

Note: In either case, the short stocked item will be treated as a "Cancellation by Hobby Search".
Note: There is possibility of delay in shipment.
Note: If we contact you for the stock shortage but do not receive a reply of instructions for your order, we may proceed with just the remaining items.

We currently do not offer wholesale for our products. Sales of our products are intended for individual customers, so we do not offer discounts for bulk purchases.
Also, we do not offer drop shipping, and all the items from our store will be shipped to you from our shipping/packaging center.

Combining Shipments

Regarding "Shipping Arrangement" for reserved items

When you place your reservation, you will be given options for "Shipping Arrangement" on the order form.
For detailed, please read the following explanations as well as the article "Regarding shipment of multiple reserved items".

"Ship on Release"
We will ship your reserved item as they come into stock. The item will not be combined for shipment so please be careful.
Please read this article for more details.

Note: We may combine your order as we see fit, even if you select "Ship on Release", so if you want to make sure your ordered items are shipped separately, please leave us a memo in the contact column when you place your order.

"Monthly Shipment per Order Number"
We will ship together your reserved items that are released in the same month, which are also under the same order number. Choosing "Monthly Shipment/Order No." does NOT mean all items with this option selected will be shipped together. If the order number or release month is different, we cannot ship them together, so please be careful.
Please read this article for more details.

Rule for combined shipment

We will combine shipment of your order only if all of the following conditions are fulfilled.

1. The items to be combined must all be either only reserved items or only already released items (i.e. We cannot combine reserved item with already released item).
2. The items must have the same order number (If you process "Order Recombination", that order will be automatically assigned a matching order number).
3. The items to be combined must all have the same release month (For Reserved items only).
4. The Shipping Arrangement must be set as "Monthly Shipment/Order No." (For Reserved items only. If you process Order Recombination, the Shipping Arrangement will automatically be set as "Monthly Shipment/Order No.").

Please note that even if the "Rule for Combined Shipment" is fulfilled, we cannot combine shipment if the order includes any of the followings:
- Any item in the order is already in the "Preparing for Shipment" state
- An item marked "CANNOT BE COMBINED" on the product description is included
- Very large item is included and there is no cardboard box suitable for shipment if combined with other items.

Order Recombination

You can merge items released in the same month into one order.
For details, please read the article "Order Recombination" in the account page section.

Method of Order Recombination

For Reserved Items
You can recombine items that are released in the same month. Please process order recombination from your account page.
Regarding how to recombine your order, please read the "Procedure of Order Recombination" section in the article "Order Recombination".

For Already Released Items
You cannot recombine new orders for items that are already released on your account page. Please contact our Customer Support if you would like to combine shipment of already released items.Note: Please understand that we may not be able to meet your request, depending on the shipping status of your order.

For details of each payment procedure and points of caution, please refer to the following articles.

Credit Card Payment

- Accepted Credit Cards: VISA, MasterCard, Amex

The payment will be withdrawn from your bank account by your credit card company.
Your credit card number will be protected by SSL encrypted transmission.
We generally do not store any credit card information, but instead have our settlement company "VeriTrans" handle and store these sensitive information, on their server with very strong security, to insure safety when using credit card payments.

- Regarding Security Code
Security code is the 3 (or 4) digit numbers printed on the back of your credit card.
This code is not included in the magnetic information, so only the card holder can know this code.
Hobby Search uses this as confirmation method of the card holder's identity, to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent use of credit cards.

- Regarding the Authentication Service (3D Secure)
Hobby Search uses this "Identity Authentication Service" provided by each of the Credit Card issuer.
After the customers enter their credit card information, we will directly confirm with the corresponding credit card issuer, in order to prevent unauthorized use by a third person.
For detail of Identity Authentication Service and its set it up, please check the link below.

- Regarding Timing of Charge to your Credit Card
Regardless of the type of order (Pre-Order or In-Stock Order), we will charge the order cost (item cost + shipping cost) when your item is stocked and ready to be processed for shipping.
If your credit card cannot be used due to lack of fund or being expired etc., we will send you a Notification of Authentication Failure by email, to inform you of the situation. So if you receive this authentication failure email, please update your credit card information and process your payment from the link included in the authentication failure email.

- Updating of Credit Card Information
If you already know that your credit card is expired for reserved orders, you can update your credit card information from your account page before the reserved items comes into stock. After logging into your account page, please click on "Change Order Info" button for the corresponding order, and select "Credit Card" to update your credit card information.
Please read the article "Updating Order Details" for detail of changing your order information.

- Regarding Handling of Credit Card Information
Credit card details will be managed by VeriTrans, on their server that is in compliance with PCIDSS, the standard of Global Security.
For the convenience of our customers, we also offer the "Use this card next time" option which you may choose to use. This option will enable you to use the same credit card you have used once, from your next purchase onwards simply by entering your Hobby Search ID and Password.

With consideration to safety of your card information, we will only be storing the following 2 information when you use this "Use this card next time" option:

- The upper 6 digits and lower 2 digits of your Card Number
- Name of the Card Holder

We will be creating a code that will be linked to the above information, and will be using this code to access the information stored by the secure server of VeriTrans, so that you will not need to input your card details every time you shop with us.

If you do not select the "Use this card next time" option, we will not store any of your credit card information.

- Regarding Provisional Transaction (Credit Limit)
A Credit Limit is the purchase limit, or the most you can use on a purchase, that is set by your credit card issuer.
For credit card payments of already released items, Hobby Search will temporarily secure the amount we plan to charge for your order (without points applied) from your credit at the time you place an order (we refer to this as "pre-charge" or "provisional transaction").
For example, if your credit card has a Credit Limit of 300,000yen and you place an order for 10,000yen item, this 10,000yen credit will be secured for Hobby Search as a pre-charge, and so the difference of 290,000yen will be your remaining credit that will be able to use for other payment.

Until a pre-charge is finalized by us, your payment will not be withdrawn by your card issuer etc. So payment is not actually withdrawn yet at the point you place an order and we send the pre-charge (with the exception of Debit Cards).
We will be finalizing the pre-charge once your order is prepared and enter shipping process.

For orders of reservation items, we will secure the minimum chargeable amount from your credit limit.

- Error during ordering process
If an error occurs when you are placing an order, there are sometimes cases where the pre-charge is successfully secured, but the order is not correctly received.
In such case, there is high possibility that the order had failed, so please check your order from your account page for confirmation.
If the order had failed, we usually cancel the pre-charge after the following business day, so please place your order again.

We also receive reports of rare occurrences where there is a data transmission error when the order is being placed, causing corruption of order information.
The characteristic of this error is that although we send you an order confirmation mail, the product details not listed on the order confirmation mail.
So we ask that you check your order from your account page for confirmation.
If the order had failed, we usually cancel the pre-charge after the following business day, so please place your order again.

- Double charges to credit card
For the cases that seem to be double charges, most of these are temporary transactions that did not match the pre-charge value. If the final order cost does not match the pre-charge cost, possibly due to combining of shipment, change of shipping method, point usage, or stock shortage etc., a separate charge will be sent for the finalized cost and the pre-charge will be cancelled right after.
Please note that if you had used a debit card, it may take a few days for the cancellation of the provisional transaction to be processed by your bank, but this is not a double charge so please wait a while for the fund to be available.
If there are any questions, please contact your credit card company for more details.

If you are unsure or if there is a duplicated charge (multiple charges of same value), please contact our customer support with details of the situation so that we can check for you.

To the customers using PayPal

- When using PayPal for payment, please make sure to use the SAME SHIPPING ADDRESS for the payment on PayPal and registered address on your Hobby Search account.
- Please DO NOT make payments directly to our PayPal account without our instruction. Any direct payments to our PayPal account WILL NOT be reflected to your order automatically, so it will take time for us to process your order and delay shipment. There is also chance that we may miss your payment, so please refrain from sending payments directly.
- We DO NOT accept eCheck.
- When making payments, the conversion rate specified by PayPal will be applied. Please check with PayPal for more information.

PayPal Express Checkout

We will send a "PayPal Payment Request" email when the order is ready for shipment. Please go to the PayPal Payment Form using the URL included in the Payment Request email and process your payment from there. You will also be able to access the payment from your account page if there is a payment available.
There is no need to notify us when the payment is completed. Please read this guide for more details.

The payment period for PayPal Express Checkout is within 7 days including from the date we send the "Payment Request email". If we cannot confirm your payment within this period, we may consider this a refusal of payment and may cancel your order.
So if you need more time to complete your payment, please be sure to contact us beforehand.
If your order is canceled for payment not being completed on time, there is possibility that we apply restrictions on your account, so please be careful.

Note: The Payment Request email will be sent to the email address registered to your Hobby Search account. Please be careful if do not use the same email address for your PayPal account and Hobby Search account.

If Payment Request email does not arrive, or is accidentally deleted
If you cannot confirm the Payment Request email for whatever reason, please check your account page. If a payment is available, you can access your Payment Request by clicking on the "PayPal Payment button" beside the order number.
If you cannot receive the Payment Request email, please read the article I cannot receive any of email from Hobby Search.

Note: If there is no "PayPal Payment button" available, this will either mean "the order is still being prepared", or "you were too late to pay, and payment period expired".
If your order is still in preparation, we will send you the Payment Request once your order is ready, so please wait a while longer.
If you do not received the Payment Request email within 4 business days after placing your order, and your order does not include any "Back-order" items, please contact us so that we can check the status of your order.

For backorder items, the Payment Request will be sent after your item is stocked, so please check your account page from time to time.

For reserved orders with "Ship on Release" selected, we generally send payment request within 3 business days after the item comes into stock.

For reserved orders with "Monthly Shipment" selected, we generally send payment request within 3 business days from either "the last item in the order comes into stock" or "the beginning of the month", whichever comes first.

If the Payment Link in the Payment Request does not work
If you cannot use the Payment Request, there is possibility that:
- The order is in cue of pending cancellation, or
- The Payment Request is invalid due to adjustment of payment details (such as change of shipping method or combining of items etc.) and a newer payment request is issued.

PayPal Pre-approved Payment

Unlike the "PayPal Express Checkout" which requires you to manually handle payments by checking the payment mail etc., this "PayPal Pre-approved payment" will enable you to process payment automatically, just by registering your information once.
This will make your payment process much smoother with less hassle.
Please note that we will be charging your account for the payment only when the product is ready for shipment, not when you place the order.

Timing of Charges
We will be charging your PayPal account once your order is prepared, before we process shipment of your order. If we fail to withdraw the payment from your PayPal account, we will be notifying you by email of the payment failure, so please double check your fund and update your payment settings.

Changing the payment method

If you would like to change your payment method, please read this article.

Regarding Currency of Payment

All the payments at Hobby Search are to be made in Japanese Yen (JPY).
However, the payment will be automatically converted to Japanese Yen by your payment agency (such as PayPal or your credit card company etc.), so please do not worry even if you do not have Japanese Yen.
Please note that the exchange rates and handling fee etc. will differ depending on the payment agency and timing you process payment, so please contact them directly for more details.

Shipping related topics

Shipping method

We offer the following shipping methods:

Speed

Tracking Availability

Insurance

EMS

Fast

Tracking Available

Insured*up to 20,000yen

SAL Parcel

Slow

Tracking Available

Insuredover 10,000yen or more

SAL Small Packet

Slow

No Tracking Number,Cannot be Tracked

Not Insured

Registered SAL

Slow

Tracking Availability

Insured*up to 6,000yen

ePacket Light

Slow

Tracking Availability

Not insured

EMS

- Fast shipping, usually takes around 4 to 9 days for delivery (may vary depending on the shipping circumstances of the delivery company and processing speed at customs of your country etc.).
For standard shipping duration required for delivery, please check the Japan Post website.
- Shipping cost slightly expensive.
- Package can be tracked. The tracking number and the website for tracking will be included in the shipment notice email.
- Offers up to 20,000yen for damages or losses caused during shipment.
Note: For cases where we judge products to be at high risk of damage due to great quantity or size etc., or the package exceeds the size/weight restrictions of EMS, we will need to split the shipment into multiple packages.

About " If Possible " options for EMS shipment

Please see the image below.

For items that we had not confirmed the availability of SAL Small Packet shipment, there will be a few options displayed on the Order Form under the "EMS" shipping method, instead of having the other options separately.
EMS shipment will be the default shipment, but you can also select the "If Possible" options listed in case the items can fit the SAL Small Packet shipping restrictions.
Please keep in mind that the default shipping method is EMS, and we ship your order with your preference ONLY IF the order is within the SAL Small Packet restrictions.
So selecting these "If Possible" options do not guarantee shipment by that method.

Please also note that, on rare occasions, your order may be shipped via EMS even if they are under the SAL Small Packet shipping limitation.

SAL Parcel (A.K.A. Economy Air)

- Standard shipping, usually takes around 2 to 3 weeks for delivery (may vary depending on the shipping circumstances of the delivery company and processing speed at customs of your country etc.).
For standard shipping duration required for delivery, please check the Japan Post website.
- Standard shipping cost.
- Package can be tracked. The tracking number and The website for tracking will be included in the shipment notice email.
- Offers 10,000yen or more for damages or losses caused during shipment. Please check here for more details.
Note: For cases where we judge products to be at high risk of damage due to great quantity or size etc., or the package exceeds the size/weight restrictions of SAL Parcel, we will need to use EMS shipment.

Size Restriction
Please note that the size restriction varies depending on the country you are shipping to.

Although this shipping method offer the same shipping size as EMS for many countries, there are a number of countries that SAL Parcel can only ship smaller size compared to EMS.
For the following countries, the size limitations are quite strict, so please check the limitation as reference.
Size Limitation for below countries: Longest side + (mid length side x2 + shortest side x2) must be under 2 meters

For most other countries, the limitations are: Longest side + (middle length side x2 + shortest side x2) must be under 3 meters

Please note this information has been referenced from Japan Post website at the time of writing this article, but the up to date information will be available on the Japan Post website.
Please check the Japan Post website for further details.

SAL Small Packet

- Cheaper shipping cost
- Packages CANNOT be tracked (no tracking number)
- Packages have NO INSURANCE. Please understand that we will not be able to compensate for any damaged or lost items that may possibly occur during shipment.
- Packages are often treated roughly. Not recommended for fragile or high value products.
- Usually takes between 2weeks to 3months for the delivery of package.
Size restriction: Can only ship PACKAGE with a total size under 90cm (length + width + height < 90cm).
Weight restriction: Can only ship PACKAGE with total weight under 2,000g (including cardboard box and cushioning materials etc.)
Value restriction: We can only ship items with total value less than 30,000yen.
For items which exceed these restrictions, or we judge unsafe and high risk of shipping damage etc., we will need to use EMS shipment.
To find out our largest SAL Small Packet compatible box sizes, please see the "SAL Small Packet Maximum box size Chart"
For more information on SAL Small Packet, please check the Japan Post Website.

[Cautions for use of SAL Small Packet]
SAL Small Packet is only offered for items tagged with the green "SAL" mark.
For reservation items, we generally do not offer SAL Small Packet unless we believe the item can fit SAL Small Packet limitations, we do not know the size and weight of the products until they are stocked. So with the exception of some products (such as re-release items and certain series such as Nendoroid and figma etc.), we generally do not put the "SAL" mark on reservations and cannot tell you if the item can fit the SAL Small Packet limitation in advance.
For a reservation item without the "SAL" mark, please select the "SAL Small Packet If Possible" option under the "EMS" shipping method, if you prefer your shipping method to be changed to SAL Small Packet in case we find that the item can actually fit the SAL Small Packet limitations.

If the package exceeds the limitation of SAL Small Packet, we will ship your item by EMS. Please also understand that we cannot accept any cancellations for the purpose of SAL Small Packet shipping being unavailable for a product.

[Shipment of multiple items by SAL Small Packet]
For some cases, it may be cheaper to adjust your orders to fit within the SAL Small Packet limitations and use multiple shipments, rather than using one large EMS shipping for many items.

However, we generally do not split the order and use EMS instead, if they exceed SAL Small Packet restrictions. So if SAL Small Packet is not available for your order and you would prefer your order to be "ship separately by multiple SAL Small Packets" rather than "ship all together by EMS", please leave a message in the contact column mentioning this when you place your order.
Alternatively, you can email our customer support directly, although it may take time for us to check your mail.
Now, please note that we may not be able to meet your request, depending on the status of your order when we confirm your inquiry. So please be careful.

Note: For some cases, we may notify you at our decision if find that your order exceeds the size limitations of SAL Small Packet.

[To receive SAL Small Packet]
We would like you to contact your local post office from time to time, to check whether they have the parcel addressed to you, as we are unable to check the status of delivery due to these SAL Small Packets being unregistered.
Also, please confirm with your family, in case your family members may have received your package on your behalf.
Above all, please keep in mind that we do not take any responsibilities for lost packages that are shipped by SAL Small Packet.
Although package losses are uncommon, it is recommendable to select EMS if you do not want to take any risks.

[SAL Small Packet Capacity Limit Example](Please use this only as a guide)
- Figure Sample
- Up to 3 standard sized "Nendroid" per box
- Up to 3 standard sized "figma" per boxNote: For larger Nendoroid or figma etc. (such as figma ultimate Madoka etc.),
we can only fit up to 2 per box.

Note: Even for any of the above combinations, you cannot use SAL Small Packet if the total package weight exceeds 2kg, so please be careful.

SAL Small Packet Maximum box size (Inner Measurements)

Card board box type

Width

Depth

Hight

90cm Cubic

27

27

27

90cm Cubic ver.2

31

26

23

90cm Rectangular

37

27

16

90cm Rectangular ver.2

35

27

18

90cm Flatlong

57

17

7

90cm Flatwide

46

27

8

90cm MG Custom

39

30

12

Registered SAL

Registered SAL is simply "SAL Small Packet" shipping with the Register option applied to it. With this register option, the SAL Small Packet shipping cost is increased by 410 JPY to add tracking number and insurance of up to 6,000yen.
All other aspects and restrictions of SAL Small Packet shipment such as size and weight limitations are still applicable, so please check this article for more details.

ePacket Light

ePacket Light is a middle point of "SAL Small Packet" and "Registered SAL" shipping.
It can be tracked like Registered SAL, but signature is not required on delivery, so the package can be posted to your mail box if it fits.

All other aspects and restrictions of SAL Small Packet shipment such as having no insurance and the size and weight limitations are still applicable.
So please check this article for more details.

How much is the shipping cost?

The shipping cost will be determined by the destination and total package weight, including item weight plus cardboard shipping box and cushioning paper etc.
Please note that the shipping cost will be calculated according to our own postage calculation formula, so there is possibility that it may differ from the actual shipping cost charged by the post office.
Please see this chart for more details.

Checking the Shipping Cost in advance

For already released item, you can check the shipping cost on the 3rd page of the order form.

Note: If you click on the "Send" button, the order will be completed, so please be careful.
Note: If you do not wish to enter your Credit Card information, we recommend you select "PayPal Express Checkout" for the payment method option.
Note: There are some products listed on our inventory that need to be back-ordered. Please be aware that for a portion of these items, unfortunately product weight will be unknown, even if it is an already released item.
As such, we will not know the actual shipping cost until the item is ready for shipment, which may cause cases where the shipping cost shown on the order confirmation to be different from the actual shipping cost we charge.

Reservation items:
The shipping cost is determined by the destination and total weight of the package. For reservation items, we can only weigh the items after they come into stock.
So please be aware that we cannot tell you the shipping cost beforehand.

Requests for change of product value on the shipping label

In compliance with the law, the value of products specified on the shipping label must match that of the package content. So unfortunately we cannot accept any requests for alteration of declared content, or removal or required information etc.

Standard shipping duration

For EMS shipments, packages are usually delivered in around a week or two, from the time the items leave HOBBY SEARCH until they reach you.
For SAL shipments (SAL Parcel / SAL Small Packet / Registered SAL / ePacket Light), the delivery duration can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months or more.

Combining shipment of already released items

We will combine your orders for already released items if you have contacted us within the cancelation period. However, if your order had entered processing by us, unfortunately we will not be able to accept combining of orders.

Countries we can ship to

If a country is selectable on the "Country" option of the User Registration page, we are generally able to ship to your country.Please note that even if a country is listed on the "Country" option, we may not be able to ship to certain regions depending on the availability of shipping methods for that region.
Also, we are very sorry but we cannot ship to countries which are not listed on the "Country" option.

Timing of dispatch of orders

We will generally ship orders within a couple of business days from the confirmation of finalized payment. Please note that for already released items which are in stock, we may take a few business days before charging you the final cost of your order, as we will need to prepare your order.
There are also rare cases where we may not have a part of your ordered items. In such case, we will try to stock the item from our suppliers, so it may take about a week to prepare for the order.
Please be aware that we can only process shipment during our business days. To check our business days, please see the Business Calendar set at the lower section of the right hand side bar on our main pages.

Order does not arrive

For EMS
It usually takes around 1 to 2 weeks for an EMS package to reach you.
If it does not reach you after 2 weeks, please contact our customer support.

SAL Small Packet and ePacket Light
For SAL Small Packet and ePacket Light shipment, they usually take around 2 weeks but may take up to 4 months to reach you. So we recommend that you contact your local post office and confirm if there are any packages addressed to you, if you feel delivery is taking too long. Please understand that due to these packages having no insurance, we will not be able to offer any assistance or compensation in case of lost or undelivered packages.

For SAL Parcel and Registered SAL
It usually takes around 2 weeks to around a month, but can take over 3 months or more for a SAL Parcel or Registered SAL Small Packet package to reach you. If it does not reach you after 3 months, please contact our customer support.

Shipping to alternative address

To prevent re-sales of our products, we generally only accept shipment of orders to the address of the customer themselves.
So we cannot ship to alternative addresses.
We also cannot accept shipments to locations registered for Package Redirection Services (i.e. any service that transfer your package to another location from the address we ship to).

Packing of products

For EMS shipments:
We will ship products in either a cardboard box or EMS shipping envelop depending on the size/weight of the product, using the EMS shipping slip marked as a "Gift".
If we judge that shipment by an envelope may cause damage to the item, we will ship the item by cardboard box.
We generally do not put item names on the shipping slip, and the sample of item description we declare are as follows.

For example:
Figure and Plastic Model Kit: Plastic Kit
Fashion Doll: Doll
Book and Magazine: Book

The details of items will be no more descriptive than above examples.
Your order will be packaged similar to this example.

For cushioning material, we generally use paper cushioning. We will also use bubble wrap for fragile items.
The package will contain the products, bill of payment, and a stock out notification if there were any stock shortages. Also, we will attach a shipping invoice on the outside of the cardboard box for shipment.
Please note that for orders of large or many products in which we are required to use irregular size boxes with random product descriptions. We will conceal the details on the box as shown in this image in such cases.

For SAL shipments (SAL Parcel / SAL Small Packet / Registered SAL / ePacket Light):
We will ship your item in a cardboard box, as there are no envelops available for SAL shipments and there is greater risk of damaged or lost packages during shipment.
Also, a custom declaration form provided by the post office will be attached to your package.
We generally do not put item names on the shipping slip, and a sample of item description we declare are as follows.

For example:
Figure and Plastic Model Kit: Plastic Kit
Fashion Doll: Doll
Book and Magazine: Book

The details of items will be no more descriptive than above examples.
Your order will be packaged similar to this example.

Shipment of multiple already released items

Orders will generally be shipped per order number. Items with different order numbers are usually shipped separately, so please be careful.
However, we may combine shipments where we see fit. If you do not want your orders to be combined, please specify "Ship separately from other orders" in the "contact column" when you place your order.
Please note that if we do combine shipment, and there happens to be difference in the order options (payment method and shipping method etc.) between your orders, we will use options we feel are appropriate at our judgment from the options you selected.Note: For details of conditions for combined shipment, please read this article.
Note: If you would like to add items to an existing order, please read this article.Note: We cannot ship already released item together with reserved items.

Regarding shipment of multiple reserved items

- If you selected "Ship on Release"
Your item will enter processing to be shipped once the product comes into stock.
This option is recommended if you want your item shipped as soon as possible.

Note: If you only ordered one item or multiple of the same item in one order, the shipment will automatically be set to "Ship on Release".
Note: If you reserve multiple items with different release dates, you will be charged for each shipment.
Note: Shipment may be separated even for items with the same release date.

- If you selected "Monthly Shipment per Order No."
The shipment of products with same order number and same release month will be combined into one shipment.
We will ship your items when all items in the order come into stock, or at the beginning of the following month, whichever comes first.

Note: If there is change of release date and the release month is also changed, that item will be shipped according to the updated release month (Refer to Case 4 in the below diagram).
Note: This is only applicable for items with same "Order Number" AND same "Release Month". If you would like to combine items with different Order Numbers, please use the Order recombination function in your account page.
Note: "Reserved Items" and "Unreserved Already Released Items" cannot be combined for shipment, even if they are under the same order number.

Case Study: "Ship on Release" and "Monthly Shipment/Order No."

Note: For Cases 3 and 4, please read this article if you would like your Items A and B shipped, without waiting for Items C and D until the end of the month.

Changing the shipping method

You can change Shipping Methods from your account page. For details regarding method of updating information, please read this article.

If you would like to change your shipment method from EMS or SAL Parcel to any of the Small Packet shipments (SAL Small Packet/Registered SAL / ePacket Light)
Please note that these may not be available if the size or weight of your order exceeds the Small Packet limitations.
Also, the Small Packet shipment may not be available if your order exceeds the limitation due to increase of items with Order Recombination etc.

Changes of Delivery Address

You can update your shipping address from your account page. For detail of updating information, please read this article.Note: Depending on the shipment status of your order, we may not be able to change the shipping address.
Note: The shipment may be delayed due to the address confirmation process.

Regarding Returned Packages

We will contact you if a package we had shipped is returned to us. We will also be able to ship your package again, if you agree to pay for the re-shipping cost.
Please note that, if we do not receive your reply for extended periods, your order will be disposed as a cancellation outside our cancellation policy.

Shipment to Japan

Unfortunately we currently cannot accept shipments of orders placed with an English account to be shipped to a location within Japan, as our English and Japanese websites run on a different management system due to differences in payment and shipment options etc.

Shipment to Military Base (APO/ FPO address)

Unfortunately EMS shipment is unavailable for certain military bases.
If you must have an order shipped to a military base that EMS is not available for, please leave us a memo in the contact column when you place your order.

Unfortunately we cannot accept requests for lowering product value. In compliance with the law, we must not falsely declare value specified on the custom declaration forms.

Request to enclose invoice inside the package

We cannot accept requests for including the shipping invoice inside the shipping box. In compliance with the law, we are obliged to put the shipping invoice outside the package.

Checking the delivery status of your package

To check the delivery status of your package, please track your package from the post office website using the tracking number included in your shipment notice. After the package leaves our hands, we will not be able to take any responsibility for problems during delivery.

Please note that you cannot track your package if it was shipped using SAL Small Packet, as there is no tracking number issued for this shipping method.
For detailed explanation of SAL Small Packet shipments, please read this SAL Small Packet article.

About Custom Tax

When you are purchasing products at Hobby Search, you are not paying for Japanese tax.
However, please note that there is a possibility that you may be charged additional tax and handling fee etc. by the Customs authority of your country or delivery agent.
For more information on custom tax and additional charges, please contact the customs authority of your country.

Account Page Manual

Things you can do on the Account Page

Checking Orders
You can check your orders.
You can also check your past orders and the status of the orders that are not shipped yet.

Change to Order Details
You can change the following options on your account page.
- Payment methods
- Shipping Method
- Shipping Arrangement
- Point usage

For details on updating order options, please read this article.Note: If you need to change any other information not listed above, please contact us from this form. Please note that depending on the request, we may not be able to meet your request.

Order Editable Period
- Reserved items
From the moment you place your reservation, right up to the moment we stock your item
- Already Released items
Ordered between 12:00 am - 08:30 am: until 08:30 am on that day (or on the following business day if ordered on a non-business days)
Ordered between 08:31 am - 11:59 pm: until 08:30 am on the next business day
*time listed in Japan time (GMT+9)

Check and Update Account Information
You can edit your information registered to your account.
On the account page, you can edit the following details:
- Password
- Name
- Shipping Address
- Phone Number
- Email Address

Please read this article for the detail on editing your account information.

Order recombination
You can merge the separately reserved items into one order.
You can rearrange your reserved items with same release month to be shipped together in a single shipment, by using the "Order Recombination" function.
For more details, please read this article.

Cancellation of your order
You can cancel any items which are still within their cancellation period.
Please note that for orders with expired cancellation period, we are unable to accept your cancellation.
Please read this article for details of the cancellation period.

Changing quantity of your order (for Quantity Reduction only)
If you ordered multiples of the same item, you can reduce the quantity from here. Please note that you cannot increase the quantity here. If you wish to increase the quantity, please read this article.
The period you can reduce the quantity is the same as the "Cancellation Period".
Please note that you will not be able to change the quantity of your order once this period expires.

Updating Account Information (Address and email etc.)

Changing procedure
1. Login to your account page and click on the "User Registry Info." button.
2. Edit the section you would like updated, and click on the "Next" button.
3. On the final confirmation page, check that all details are correct and click on the "Send" button.
4. A mail of Update Confirmation will be sent to you once completed.

*Caution for Change of AddressChanges of addresses WILL NOT be applied to orders that has entered the "Preparing for Shipment" status (including items waiting for payment).
Please contact our customer support if you need to make changes to orders preparing for shipment.

1. Login to your account page and click on the "Change Order Info." button beside the order you would like to edit.
2. Select the option you want to change and click on the "Next" button.
3. Edit the section you would like updated, and click on the "Next" button.
4. On the final confirmation page, check that everything is correct and click on the "Send" button.
5. A mail of Update Confirmation will be sent to you once completed.

Order Recombination

With Order Recombination, you can combine multiple orders into one order. Order Recombination is available from the "Order Recombination" button on your account page."Order Recombination" button will only be available if there are orders that can be combined.

Order Recombination Patterns

Pattern 1: Recombination of Reserved items yet to be stocked
You can combine reservations that are yet to be stocked with the same scheduled release month into one order.
This will allow these items with same release month together to be shipped together, rather than having them shipped individually.

After recombining:

Pattern 2：Recombination of "in-stock" and "yet to be stocked" Reservations
You can combine the reserved items yet to be stocked, with in-stock reservations into one order.

After recombining:

Note: Only available for "In-stock" reservation that has not entered the "Preparing for Shipment" status.
Note: The "Yet-to-be-stocked" reservation must have the same release month as the "In-stock" reservation.
Note: The items reserved will not enter the preparing for shipment status, only for cases where there are still items in your order that has yet to be stocked, and you had either set the shipping arrangement to "Monthly Shipment/Order No." or had processed order recombination. Please also note that "Monthly Shipment/Order No." will only be held for one month, so it will be processed by the beginning of the following month at the latest.
For more details, please read this article.

Pattern 3：Recombination of just "in-stock" Reservations
You can combine the in-stock reservations into one order. This will let you ship your order soon after processing the recombination.
However, please take note that the combined order will be processed after the following business day.

After recombining:

Note: Only available for "In-stock" reservation that has not entered the "Preparing for Shipment" status.
Note: The "Yet-to-be-stocked" reservation must have the same release month as the "In-stock" reservation.
Note: The items reserved will not enter the preparing for shipment status, only for cases where there are still items in your order that has yet to be stocked, and you had either set the shipping arrangement to "Monthly Shipment/Order No." or had processed order recombination. Please also note that "Monthly Shipment/Order No." will only be held for one month, so it will be processed by the beginning of the following month at the latest.
For more details, please read this article

Pattern 4：Recombination of In-stock Reservation and Already Released Items yet to be shipped
You can recombine the in-stock reservations with Already Released items, as long as both items have not entered the "Preparing for Shipment" state.
So if your in-stock reservation is waiting for another reserved item to be stocked, you can combine a newly ordered Already Released item with the in-stock item instead, to have the in-stock items shipped soon and have the yet to be stocked item shipped separately later on.

We generally do not allow combining of "Already Released Items" with "Reservation Item", but we make an exception for combining items that fits these conditions.

After recombining:

Note: Only available for "In-stock" reservation that has not entered the "Preparing for Shipment" status.
Note: The items reserved will not enter the preparing for shipment status, only for cases where there are still items in your order that has yet to be stocked, and you had either set the shipping arrangement to "Monthly Shipment/Order No." or had processed order recombination. Please also note that "Monthly Shipment/Order No." will only be held for one month, so it will be processed by the beginning of the following month at the latest.
For more details, please read this article.

Steps for Order Recombination
1. Login to your account page and click on the "Order Recombination" button
2. Select the items that you want to recombine, and click on the "Next" button.Note: An error will be shown if you try to recombine items that cannot be recombined.
Items with "Not Fixed" release date can be recombined with any reserved items, but may not be shipped together depending on the actual release month of the items in the combined order. So please be careful.
3. Select your payment and shipping options, and click on the "Next" button
4. The final confirmation page will be shown, so click the "Send" button if everything is correct.
5. A confirmation mail of the order recombination will be sent to your email address once completed.

Points of Caution- If the release month is changed after an order is recombined, they will NOT be shipped together.
- You cannot undo an order recombination once completed.
- Some order information such as shipping address will be newly created for the recombined order, based on the most recently ordered item within the recombined items.
- In case the sales price had changed for any items after your order was confirmed, the updated price will be reflected for the recombined order.
- You cannot recombine Already Released item with other Already Released items on your account page. Please contact us here if combining Already Released items are necessary.
Please note that we may not be able to combine orders if there is more than a day between the orders to be combined, or if any of the items are already paid for.
- For Reserved items that are recombined, the "Shipping Arrangement" will be set to "Monthly Shipment/Order No.".

Shipping In-Stock Reservations A.S.A.P.

For Reservations that are in-stock waiting for other Reservations to come into stock, it is possible to have the in-stock items just shipped on their own.

For example:

Order Number

Item Name

Stock Status

01-2345-6789

Item A

In-stock

Item B

Not yet in stock

Item C

Not yet in stock

For this example order above, you can select just the "Item A" for the recombination, to have this shipped on its own. Choosing "Item A" on its own will assign it a new order number, so it will let the order enter processing without waiting for the other items to come into stock.

Regarding Remaining items of Recombined Reservations

For reservations grouped as "Monthly Shipment", the item that comes into stock first will be held until the end of the month while it waits for the other grouped product to come into stock, and if they do not come into stock in the same month, the held item will be processed for shipment at the very beginning of the following month.

So if you use the Order Recombination to remove all the reserved items yet to be stocked, leaving only the in-stock items in the original order number, the remaining in-stock items will keep waiting until the end of the month.

For example:

Order Number

Item Name

Release Month

Shipping Arrangement

01-2345-6789

Item A

April

Monthly Shipment/Order No.

Item B

April

Monthly Shipment/Order No.

Item C

March

Monthly Shipment/Order No.

Of the above order, if you process Order Recombination with "Item A" and "Item B" selected, there will only be "Item C" left in the original order #01-2345-6789. In this case, the shipment of "Item C" will be held until the beginning of April, if it was already in stock at the time the order recombination was processed.
If you would like the Item C shipped immediately in such case, please recombine Item C by itself, to assign it a new order number.

Procedure
1. Login to your account page, and click the "Cancel" button of the order which include the item to be reduced.
2. Select the quantity you would like to decrease on the "Quantity to be cancelled" section, and click on "Next" button
(e.g. if you ordered 3 pieces but you only need 1 piece, please choose "2" because you must cancel 2 pieces).
3. The confirmation screen will be displayed, so click the "Send" button if everything is correct.
4. Email will be sent to your email address as confirmation of acceptance.

Membership related topics

Register to Hobby Search

When you shop at Hobby Search, you will need to register an account with us.
Please register with us before you place your order from User Registration, or register when you place your order at from the "First-time Customer or Customer without HOBBY SEARCH ID" section on the ORDER FORM.
Please note that we can only allow one account per household.

Changing Registered Information

If you would like to change your registered information, please read this article.

When you purchase at Hobby Search, we will award you 1% of the item cost (sales price) as Hobby Search points.
The Hobby Search points earned can be used at the rate of 1point = 1JPY when shopping at Hobby Search.

Hobby Search points are valid up to one year from the date of your most recent shipment from us.
For example：If you earn points on January 15th 2011 for a shipment → The points will be valid until January 15th 2012.

By ticking the "Auto-login" check box when you log in, your Hobby Search ID and Password will be temporary stored, so that you can log in without entering these information.However, you will need to re-enter your information to log in, if you had not log

Browsing our website & Product Pages

Basic Method for Searching Products

1) Search by key words
You can search products from the search bar, by inputting the key words related to the products you are looking for.
For key words, please we recommend using “Product Name”, “Manufacturer”, “Scale”, “Series Title”, and/or “Product Code” etc.
Note: You can use multiple key words for searching
When using multiple key words, please separate each key word with a space.

2) Search from Category
You can access the main page of each category by using the Category Buttons at the top of the page.
Use the left side list to find products of your interest.

3) Other methods of searching
Clicking the links on the product pages or breadcrumbs etc. will show search result of related key word.

- If you get too many results
Use the filter drop down options to filter your results.
Note: You can select multiple filter options.

- Method of Searching for All Items with Specific Condition
You can search with just the category selected, leaving the key word blank and click the search button.
This will show all products listed in that category, and you can use filter options to narrow down your results.
This can be effective if you want to see all items from a category that matches the selected filter.

Example) Searching for all Reservations in the PVC Figure category.
Select the "PVC Figure" category beside the search bar and click the "Search" button, then select "Reserve" from the "Product Status" filter option for the search result.

About the Wish List

Wish List is a function that allows you to register items of your interest. By registering items to the Wish List, you can save the trouble of searching for that product every time.
For more information about the "Wish List", please read this article.

Unable to view pages properly

If you are unable to view the page properly due to error while loading, please try refreshing the page using the browser "Refresh" button (or the "F5" button for most browsers).
If the problem still occurs after refreshing several times, please try clearing the Cache and Cookie (temporary internet files) and try again.

Note: While we process sorting of newly stocked items, those new products will be temporary unavailable on our website and account page. In such cases, please allow it sometime and check again later.

Regarding Product Availability Status

Please use the followings as an indication of the product availability status.
- Cart Button
If the "Cart" button is available, this means the item can be purchased. Please read this article to check how long it usually takes before shipment.
- Reserve Button
If the "Reserve" button is available, this means the item can be Pre-Ordered. Please read this article for detail regarding Reservation items.
- Back-order
If the "Back-order" button is available, this means the item can be Backordered. Please note that it will take time for backordered items to be processed for shipment, as we will need to obtain these from our suppliers or the manufacturer. Please read this article for more details.
- Reservation Closed
If the "Reservation Closed" message is displayed, the reservation for the item has reached its maximum capacity so you cannot reserve the item.
- Sold Out...
If the "Sold Out" message is displayed, you cannot purchase the item as we have no stock remaining.
- Terminated
If the "Terminated" message is displayed, you cannot purchase the item as we have no stock remaining, and production of this item has been terminated.

Regarding Restock (Rerelease) Mark

For items that had been recently restocked or rereleased, we specify this on the product page.
Please note that a small portion of items marked "Restock" includes items that we may need to backorder from the supplier after the order is placed. In such case, it may take few days for us to stock the item.

Regarding Back-ordered items

For items that need to be back-ordered, it will take time for us to stock and ship the item. We indicate the time usually taken for the item to be stocked on the product page.
For more details of backorder duration, please read this article.

Regarding Posting comments and images

We have a Comment and Image Posting section for customers to share their thoughts, opinions, and images of that product, so please feel free to make a post.

Please note that, although customers are free to express their opinions of products, postings may be removed without notice if we judged them to be inappropriate, in order to keep the environment safe and friendly. We do not want our customers to be upset using this service, so please be considerate of others when making a post, and also prevent unconstructive arguments or insults etc. Your understanding and cooperation will be greatly appreciated, thank you very much.

About Customer Evaluation
A customer may only submit evaluation once per product.
(However, you can update your submitted evaluation if necessary)
For rating of a Blog entry, please evaluate the content of that entry.

Note: Customer Evaluation is not guaranteed to be accurate due to its nature
being based on ratings by individuals. So please only use this as a reference.

- To submit evaluation of a product:
Please click the star to place your rating. (Max Rating: 5 Stars)

About posting of pictures

- Uploading Product Images
Click the browse button on the "Postings Form" and select the image file to be uploaded from the file selection dialog. (Please note that the "browse button" may be named differently depending upon the internet browser.)

Points of Caution for Posting comments and images
- Image file must be in "JPEG" format, with file size under 5MB.
- You can only upload up to 3 files per post.
- Your nickname must be less than 20 characters.
- Your can post comments with up to 500 characters per post.
- Postings cannot be deleted by customers. Please contact our customer support via email if you wish to delete your post.
- Be sure to check the Postings Terms and Conditions before you use this service.

"Notify when available" function

About the "Notify when available" function

The "Notify when available" function is designed to inform you of item availability by e-mail, so that an email will be sent on first come first served basis, if the item becomes available for ordering.This function is not considered an order, and does not secure the item for you.
You must place an order on our website, if the item becomes available and you wish to purchase the item.
Please feel free to use this function, as there are no obligations of purchase even if you register to the "Notify when available" function.

Caution of use for the "Notify when available" function

There is possibility that the item may already be out of stock or closed for reservation when notification email arrives.
- Please understand that this is NOT a function to give priority of purchase to the users registered to the function.
- There is possibility that it may take years for some items to be restocked.
- Some items may not be restocked even if you register to the "Notify when available" function.
- Please register anew if you change your email address.
- Some items may not be restocked even if you register to the "Notify when available" function. If you would like to be informed of the following restock, please register again.

News Letter

Regarding News Letter

Difference between Standard News and Flash News
Standard News:
&nbsp Sent once a week, including information of products that were released within that week.
Flash News:
&nbsp Sent on days a new product is released, including information of products that are released that day.

Registration and cancellation of News Letter

You can register and cancel the News Letter for each genre from this page. The registration and subscription of the News Letter is free. You can also cancel it anytime without any restriction from the News Letter page linked above.
Also, you can add the News Letter of your choice when you place your order.

Change of the email address registered for the News Letter

Please register again with the new email address, cancel the subscription for the old email address if necessary.
Changes of email address registered to your account WILL NOT update the newsletter subscription email address.

There are some cases in which we must cancel orders or parts of orders.
- We receive more reservations than the amount our suppliers provide us.
- The item is not in stock and we are unable to obtain them from our suppliers.
- Cancellation of production by the manufacturer.

Defected items / Wrong items sent

Double taped product

The manufacturer may randomly open an item box for quality control purposes, depending on the product.
If this happens, the package may be sealed with multiple layers of tape.
However, such item will be treated as brand new product, as these are opened and sealed at manufacturer (Hobby Search generally does not open and inspect items).
As such, we cannot accept any returns or exchanges for the purpose of an item being double taped.

Receiving an item with Damage / Defect / Missing parts

If there is a problem with the item sent, please contact Hobby Search DIRECTLY and make sure this is done WITHIN 1 WEEK from the arrival of the product.
Also, please send us photos of the followings, if there is any damage or missing parts etc.

For Damages:
- Damaged Section
- Cardboard Shipping Box

For Missing Parts:
- Missing Section
- Shipping box
(Please also check if there are any traces of the package being opened at customs)
If we confirm that the item was defective to begin with, we will either send you a replacement or will refund in Hobby Search points equivalent to what we deem is fair value for compensation of the defect. Please note that depending on the product or its stock status, there is a possibility that we cannot provide you a replacement item.

For Damages or Losses during shipment

- EMS / SAL Parcel / Registered SAL
If there is notable damage to the cardboard shipping box and the problem is likely to be caused by shipping trouble, please contact the Post Office or the delivery agent first.

For some countries, the sender may need to initiate the investigation so please contact us if this applies to your country.
Please note if the problem is confirmed to be a shipping damage, the method of resolution may differ for some countries.
If we are to resolve the problem, we can either send a replacement depending on the stock situation, or offer refund as Hobby Search points. Please also note that this will depend on the type of product and stock situation etc. so we are not always able to offer a replacement.

- SAL Small Packet / ePacket Light
Unfortunately there is no insurance for SAL Small Packet and ePacket Light shipments.
So we will not be able to assist with any problems that occur during shipment for any packages shipped using these method.

Cases that we DO NOT regard as a Defect

Please take note that for any of the following cases, these will not be regarded as defective, so please be careful.
- If the item box is sealed with double layer of tape.
- If the manufacturer does not recognize the issue itself as a defect (e.g. if the quality is within the expected level of differences for mass-produced goods etc.)
- Any problems that does not affect the item itself, such as scratches, dents, or friction marks etc. on the outer box or package.

Note: The product color or impression may differ to the actual product depending on your display screen settings/quality.
Note: Please understand that images on the product page maybe sample images of a prototype model, so there may be differences to the final product.

Receiving Wrong Products

If a product you had not ordered arrives, there is a possibility of mistaken shipment. Please contact us from this form, and we will be sure to reply with the details of the course of action.

Note: Such returns can only be accepted under the condition that the product is unopened and that you contact us within 8 days from the delivery of package, so please be careful.

Missing products from an order

- If there is a "Stockout notification" included in the package
We are very sorry, but due to stock shortage for a part of your order, we had shipped only items we were able to secure.

Hobby Search is now looking for ways to expand our business internationally, to bring as many people
as we can into the fascinating world of Japanese hobby goods!
If you happen to have your own website, or are in charge of marketing of such a site,
that centers on Japanese pop culture such as PVC Figures, Plastic Models etc.,
we would be very much interested in posting our banner advertisement on your website.

If you are interested in offering us some ad space on your website, please apply for banner advertisement
from this form.

Please provide as much information as you can, so that we can check the details.
We look forward to hearing from you!

Second Hand Goods

All the products sold on our website are new.
We do not sell or purchase second hand products.

Contact information and business hours

Phone reception hours: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm (GMT +9, Japan Time)
Business closed on Sundays, Public Holidays, and every second & third Saturdays of each month. We do not confirm payment or ship your order on these days.

Note: In addition to the above, we will be closed for New Years (at the end and beginning of the year) and during "Obon" (in the middle of August).
We may also have temporary days closed for business.
For details, please check our business calendar on the main page of our website.

Regarding complicated questions such as defect of products or the status of your order etc., we believe accuracy is very important. We may need time to confirm the details of your inquiry, so please contact us by email where possible, to allow us time for confirmation. Thank you for your cooperation.
We do our best to reply to emails as soon as we can, but please note that replies to emails we receive over the weekend will generally be sent after the following business day.Note: We generally do not ignore inquiries, so if you do not receive replies from us within a week, please make sure to check your spam mail folder etc. and contact us again in case of problems. Also, make sure to allow acceptance of emails from our domain "@1999.co.jp". Please read this article for more details.

Caution of products sold on our site

Please be aware that unless otherwise specified, most products we deal
are designed for the Japanese market.
This means the content or instruction may be written in Japanese,
and for some electrical items, the voltage will be for use

When making an inquiry, please clarify your question as much as
possible. If the inquiry is about your order, please make sure
to include information
such as "Your Name", "Order Number", and "the name of the item"
so that we can do our best to assist you.

We may take a few days to check your mail if we are busy,
but we will reply ALL inquiries that reach us
(as long as they are in English or Japanese).
If you do not receive any reply from us within a few days,
there is a possibility that your mail may not have reached us,
so we are sorry for the trouble but please re-send the inquiry.

Please note that we can only understand Japanese or English inquiries,
but please do not use Machine translation as these can cause great confusion.
We greatly appreciate your cooperation, thank you very much.